Five years ago, a painter named Andy Golub had a brilliant brainstorm. He’d been painting works of art on the bodies of individual models for some time, and had won some legal battles establishing that he had the right to do so outdoors in New York City. (It’s legal for women to be topless outdoors in New York anywhere a man can; full nudity is generally not legal in public for anyone of any gender. But there’s an exception — women and men can both be naked in public places as part of an artistic exhibition or a play. And being painted as a human canvas is certainly an artistic exhibition.)

So here’s the brilliant brainstorm he had: what if, instead of one painter painting one model in a public place, he brought together fifty painters and fifty models — models of all ages, sizes, races, and genders, painters from all over the country and all over the world? Suddenly, the artist and model would no longer be outnumbered by a confused and judgmental crowd — in one place, for a time, naked would be the norm. Art would be the norm.

And so Bodypainting Day was born. This year is the 5th anniversary, and anyone interested in attending can find the group in Washington Square Park starting around noon on Saturday, July 14. In anticipation of the big day, and maybe to get his painting arm limbered up, Andy met with us this week on our favorite rooftop sundeck and tested out some wonderful new designs.

It’s fun to be a human canvas, and even more fun to watch the process as your friends get turned into living works of art.

And lest you think bodypainting is just for girls…

Turnabout being fair play, at the end one of the painters got painted:

And we even had a spectator or two who remained pristine.

Look like fun? It was. If you’re thinking you might like to try this someday — with or without the paint — we welcome all curious and body-positive women to join us. Just send email to toplesspulpfiction@gmail.com and tell us a little about yourself. You’ll be under the sun — and who knows, maybe under the brush too — in no time.

It would depend on circumstances, I’d think. If you’re both in church on a Sunday morning, or serving together on jury duty, or, I don’t know, paying respects at a funeral, it might be awkward to exclaim, “Aren’t you part of that topless book club?” But we have been recognized sometimes while out in the park holding one of our events, and a simple, sincere, non-creepy greeting is harmless in that context, especially if there are several of us and only one of you (approaching a woman who’s by herself, especially if she’s topless at the time, could be uncomfortable no matter how well intentioned). Asking to take a selfie with one of us is a bit much — when people do that it tends to feel a bit aggressive/obnoxious and an imposition. You’re putting us in a position where even if we’d rather not, it feels like we’re being rude if we say no, and who wants to be made to feel that way? And the truth is, we’re not celebrities, we’re not performers, we’re just ordinary people who like to relax outdoors in a way the law permits. Would you ask to take a pushy photo with a random stranger you’d seen on a website like “Humans of New York”? Probably not. As a general rule, it’s better to be thoughtful about people’s privacy and sensitive to their possible discomfort and keep expressions of enthusiasm brief, polite, and respectful.

Thanks for your considered response.
In some way I do think you are celebrities. You recently posted you had 20 million plus views. You guys may not be PewDiePie or Chewbacca Mom level, but I think you count as internet celebrities running a hit blog.
Thanks again.